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Carlos Ghosn’s Escape Began With a Ride on a Public Train Carlos Ghosn’s Escape Began With a Ride on a Public Train
(about 1 hour later)
TOKYO — The first leg of Carlos Ghosn’s overnight trek from his Tokyo home to Beirut, before he reportedly climbed into a box to evade airport security, involved something much more prosaic: He got aboard an Osaka-bound bullet train, several Japanese media sources reported Monday.TOKYO — The first leg of Carlos Ghosn’s overnight trek from his Tokyo home to Beirut, before he reportedly climbed into a box to evade airport security, involved something much more prosaic: He got aboard an Osaka-bound bullet train, several Japanese media sources reported Monday.
His taking the trip on a public train would be another embarrassment for the Japanese authorities, who on Monday promised to tighten airport baggage inspections and the rules governing the release of criminal suspects on bail.His taking the trip on a public train would be another embarrassment for the Japanese authorities, who on Monday promised to tighten airport baggage inspections and the rules governing the release of criminal suspects on bail.
It’s unclear if Mr. Ghosn, who is one of the most recognizable public figures in Japan, hid his appearance while on the bullet train, which has a maximum speed of about 177 miles per hour. The revelations came as the authorities continued to investigate how the former auto executive eluded them and flew to Lebanon last week.It’s unclear if Mr. Ghosn, who is one of the most recognizable public figures in Japan, hid his appearance while on the bullet train, which has a maximum speed of about 177 miles per hour. The revelations came as the authorities continued to investigate how the former auto executive eluded them and flew to Lebanon last week.
Mr. Ghosn, who is facing charges of financial wrongdoing in Japan, fled to Beirut, where he has a home and faces no extradition to Japan. He is also a citizen of France, where he spent most of his adult life.Mr. Ghosn, who is facing charges of financial wrongdoing in Japan, fled to Beirut, where he has a home and faces no extradition to Japan. He is also a citizen of France, where he spent most of his adult life.
Details of his trip, which began on Dec. 29, are beginning to come to light. Mr. Ghosn left his home in central Tokyo by himself around 2:30 p.m. that day, and walked about 900 yards to a hotel, where he met two men, according to NHK and Nikkei, which cited sources in the city prosecutor’s office and the Tokyo police.Details of his trip, which began on Dec. 29, are beginning to come to light. Mr. Ghosn left his home in central Tokyo by himself around 2:30 p.m. that day, and walked about 900 yards to a hotel, where he met two men, according to NHK and Nikkei, which cited sources in the city prosecutor’s office and the Tokyo police.
The three then went to Tokyo’s Shinagawa railroad station, a major hub, and a little after 4:30 p.m. boarded a Shinkansen, or high-speed bullet train, for Osaka, about 340 miles southwest of the capital, the reports said. Once in Osaka, they entered a hotel near Kansai International Airport at about 8 p.m. A couple of hours later, the two men left the hotel with two large boxes; Mr. Ghosn was not in sight, the reports said. They boarded a corporate jet with the boxes, and flew to Istanbul.The three then went to Tokyo’s Shinagawa railroad station, a major hub, and a little after 4:30 p.m. boarded a Shinkansen, or high-speed bullet train, for Osaka, about 340 miles southwest of the capital, the reports said. Once in Osaka, they entered a hotel near Kansai International Airport at about 8 p.m. A couple of hours later, the two men left the hotel with two large boxes; Mr. Ghosn was not in sight, the reports said. They boarded a corporate jet with the boxes, and flew to Istanbul.
Previous media reports have said that Mr. Ghosn evaded airport security measures by hiding in a box that was loaded on the plane.Previous media reports have said that Mr. Ghosn evaded airport security measures by hiding in a box that was loaded on the plane.
From Istanbul, Mr. Ghosn reportedly got on a smaller plane, and arrived in Beirut later Monday. Lebanese officials have said he entered legally with a French passport, so there was no reason to stop him at the border. From Istanbul, Mr. Ghosn reportedly got on a smaller plane, and arrived in Beirut later Monday.
Mr. Ghosn has so far not talked of traveling to France, and the government has not pressed for his return. France’s foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said on French television that Mr. Ghosn had not asked to come to France. Lebanese officials have said he entered legally with a French passport and a Lebanese ID, so there was no reason to stop him at the border. But on Monday, France’s foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, suggested that may not have been the case.
“If he were to come to France, it would be up to French justice to deal with the situation, but for the moment, that question is not on the table,” he told BFM TV. “As far as we know, he did not use French documents,” he told BFM TV.
But the French finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, appeared to harden the government’s stance on Mr. Ghosn, saying on Monday that the executive should face justice in a court of law. Mr. Le Drian also said Mr. Ghosn had not asked to come to France.
“If he were to come to France, it would be up to French justice to deal with the situation, but for the moment, that question is not on the table,” he said.
The French finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, appeared to harden the government’s stance on Mr. Ghosn, saying on Monday that the executive should face justice in a court of law.
“When one is a defendant, one does not escape justice,” he told France Inter radio. “And Carlos Ghosn is a defendant like any other.”“When one is a defendant, one does not escape justice,” he told France Inter radio. “And Carlos Ghosn is a defendant like any other.”
Mr. Le Maire added that the French government was ready to open an investigation into $11 million in questionable expenses at the headquarters of the alliance between Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors while Mr. Ghosn headed the group. The expenses were identified in June during an internal audit carried out by Nissan and Renault, an alliance in which the French government holds a 15 percent stake.Mr. Le Maire added that the French government was ready to open an investigation into $11 million in questionable expenses at the headquarters of the alliance between Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors while Mr. Ghosn headed the group. The expenses were identified in June during an internal audit carried out by Nissan and Renault, an alliance in which the French government holds a 15 percent stake.
At a news conference on Monday, Masako Mori, Japan’s justice minister, said the authorities were taking steps to bolster the scanning of luggage, though she declined to disclose details.At a news conference on Monday, Masako Mori, Japan’s justice minister, said the authorities were taking steps to bolster the scanning of luggage, though she declined to disclose details.
“Now, measures have been taken so that similar acts can’t be committed,” she said of the escape of Mr. Ghosn, who had been released on bail from a Japanese jail. Though her ministry is not responsible for baggage inspection, she said, different agencies are working to tighten control.“Now, measures have been taken so that similar acts can’t be committed,” she said of the escape of Mr. Ghosn, who had been released on bail from a Japanese jail. Though her ministry is not responsible for baggage inspection, she said, different agencies are working to tighten control.
Ms. Mori also said the government would accelerate an existing review of how bail works in the country, including whether to require defendants to wear tracking wrist or ankle bracelets. Mr. Ghosn offered to wear one when he sought bail, but the court granted it without that requirement.Ms. Mori also said the government would accelerate an existing review of how bail works in the country, including whether to require defendants to wear tracking wrist or ankle bracelets. Mr. Ghosn offered to wear one when he sought bail, but the court granted it without that requirement.
“We have been reviewing the current system,” Ms. Mori said. “We would like to swiftly advance the discussions on the matter, taking into account the recent escaping cases and the various opinions we have received.”“We have been reviewing the current system,” Ms. Mori said. “We would like to swiftly advance the discussions on the matter, taking into account the recent escaping cases and the various opinions we have received.”
In leaving Japan, Mr. Ghosn forfeited 1.5 billion yen in bail, or about $13.9 million.In leaving Japan, Mr. Ghosn forfeited 1.5 billion yen in bail, or about $13.9 million.
Mr. Ghosn, the former chief of the Nissan-Renault auto alliance, has long denied the allegations of financial wrongdoing and insisted he had been set up by Nissan executives who were worried that he would further merge the operations of the Japanese automaker and Renault of France.Mr. Ghosn, the former chief of the Nissan-Renault auto alliance, has long denied the allegations of financial wrongdoing and insisted he had been set up by Nissan executives who were worried that he would further merge the operations of the Japanese automaker and Renault of France.
After he vanished from Tokyo last week, he appeared in Lebanon, saying in a statement that he had been “held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system.”After he vanished from Tokyo last week, he appeared in Lebanon, saying in a statement that he had been “held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system.”
Mr. Ghosn is expected to meet with reporters this week. On Monday, a host on Fox Business, Maria Bartiromo, she had spoken to Mr. Ghosn over the weekend and that he said he would present evidence that the criminal counts against him were an effort by Nissan and Japanese officials to prevent a merger with Renault — a charge he has made before. Mr. Ghosn is expected to meet with reporters this week. On Monday, a host on Fox Business, Maria Bartiromo, said that she had spoken to Mr. Ghosn over the weekend and that he said he would present evidence that the criminal counts against him were an effort by Nissan and Japanese officials to prevent a merger with Renault — a charge he had made before.
Japanese officials on Sunday defended the country’s justice system as fair and open, with plenty of opportunities for Mr. Ghosn to defend himself. Ms. Mori defended the country’s justice system as fair and open, with plenty of opportunities for Mr. Ghosn to defend himself.
Ms. Mori continued the defense on Monday. “We acknowledge that there are various criticisms of Japan’s criminal justice procedures, but every country has a different criminal justice system,” she said. “It isn’t appropriate to simply focus on one part of the system when comparing it to other countries.”
“We acknowledge that there are various criticisms of Japan’s criminal justice procedures, but every country has a different criminal justice system,” she said, adding, “It isn’t appropriate to simply focus on one part of the system when comparing it to other countries.”
The details of Mr. Ghosn’s escape are still emerging.The details of Mr. Ghosn’s escape are still emerging.
Mr. Ghosn was accompanied out of Japan by an American security consultant named Michael Taylor, a former Green Beret, The New York Times reported on Friday, citing a person familiar with the matter.Mr. Ghosn was accompanied out of Japan by an American security consultant named Michael Taylor, a former Green Beret, The New York Times reported on Friday, citing a person familiar with the matter.
Mr. Taylor and another American were the only people listed as passengers on a manifest for the flight that carried Mr. Ghosn from Japan to Turkey, Turkish news outlets have reported.
Mr. Taylor, a well-known private-security contractor, has extensive contacts in Lebanon dating to the 1980s, when he was deployed to Beirut as part of a team of United States Special Forces that worked alongside Lebanese soldiers. He speaks Arabic, and Lebanese intermediaries connected him with Mr. Ghosn, according to a person familiar with the matter.Mr. Taylor, a well-known private-security contractor, has extensive contacts in Lebanon dating to the 1980s, when he was deployed to Beirut as part of a team of United States Special Forces that worked alongside Lebanese soldiers. He speaks Arabic, and Lebanese intermediaries connected him with Mr. Ghosn, according to a person familiar with the matter.
After his military career, Mr. Taylor founded a private security company, American International Security Corporation, which was hired by The Times to assist in the rescue of David Rohde, a reporter who was held captive by the Taliban in 2008 and 2009. After his military career, Mr. Taylor founded American International Security, which was hired by The Times hired to assist in the rescue of David Rohde, a reporter who was held captive by the Taliban in 2008 and 2009.
But his career collapsed in 2012, when prosecutors accused him of helping to orchestrate a bribery scheme to secure a Defense Department contract and then seeking to derail the subsequent investigation. Mr. Taylor disputed the most serious charges and eventually pleaded guilty to wire fraud and violating the Procurement Integrity Act. He spent about a year and a half behind bars before being released in 2015. But his career collapsed in 2012 when prosecutors accused him of helping to orchestrate a bribery scheme to secure a Defense Department contract and then seeking to derail the subsequent investigation. Mr. Taylor disputed the most serious charges and eventually pleaded guilty to wire fraud and violating the Procurement Integrity Act. He spent about a year and a half behind bars before being released in 2015.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing an anonymous source, that Mr. Ghosn was smuggled through Kansai airport in a type of box often used for concert equipment. It said the terminal for private jets at that airport was essentially empty, and that oversize luggage could not fit in the airport’s scanners. The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing an anonymous source, that Mr. Ghosn had been smuggled through the Kansai airport in a type of box often used for concert equipment. It said that the terminal for private jets at that airport was essentially empty, and that oversize luggage could not fit in the airport’s scanners.
A customs official at the airport, Akira Taniguchi, said that screening of luggage was done in two stages. In the first, a private security company using X-ray and other equipment checks whether there are items that are not allowed on board, likes guns or knives.A customs official at the airport, Akira Taniguchi, said that screening of luggage was done in two stages. In the first, a private security company using X-ray and other equipment checks whether there are items that are not allowed on board, likes guns or knives.
In the second stage, customs officials check whether the bags contain items that are not permitted to be brought in or taken out of Japan, like drugs and some foods. They use X-ray machines, metal detectors, drug detectors and dogs for that step. In the second stage, customs officials check whether the bags contain items that are not permitted to be brought into or taken out of Japan, like drugs and some foods. They use X-ray machines, metal detectors, drug detectors and dogs for that step.
Asked if Mr. Ghosn had managed to elude these measures, Mr. Taniguchi said, “We cannot comment on this.”Asked if Mr. Ghosn had managed to elude these measures, Mr. Taniguchi said, “We cannot comment on this.”
David Yaffe-Bellany contributed reporting from New York, and Liz Alderman from Paris.David Yaffe-Bellany contributed reporting from New York, and Liz Alderman from Paris.